Reviewed: Jul 25

Mastering 44 phonemes on top of the 26 letters of the alphabet to get a grasp of English may sound dry, but Jean Bunton's show had hordes of youngsters blissfully unaware that they were learning. Presented by the City Chamber Orchestra as part of the International Arts Carnival, the 60 minutes of song, dance and comedy were timed to perfection.

The storyline was almost nonexistent, but that mattered not a jot - the journey was more important than where it was heading. Matthew Hale and Corinna Chamberlain as the narrator/singers held the audience every step of the way.

'The horses were in a hurry to go home and have their hay' sorted out our Hs, while a subtle social comment sprang from the parental participation during 'I hop, hop, hop all the way to the shop; I just can't stop when I want to shop'.

Leo Tsang Chung-hin, Andy Yau Ching-pong, Jacky Kwong Yan-lok and Fok Ka-wing metamorphosed into a tap-dancing yak, a balletic jellyfish and a goat.

The song arrangements were by Mario Latumbo; the 16-piece on-stage orchestra was under the tidy direction of Francis Kan. Amplification problems were a small blot on this slick and highly enjoyable presentation.